Deck

Radek Cerny, chef-owner of L’Atelier[5], has always had his own sense of style: a mix of classical cooking and innovative, whimsical twists. Cerny particularly knows his way around seafood, so when I dined recently, I made sure to order the scallops (pictured).

Pan-seared Maine day boat scallops[6] arrived atop a creamy smear of puréed carrot and a ladle of Champagne beurre blanc. A tangle of al dente haricots verts and perfectly turned root vegetables added color and snap. The decadence of the scallops and the buerre blanc was balanced by the earthiness of the carrot and the freshness of the beans. Paired with a dry Riesling, it was a truly lovely meal.

Save room: Top off the evening with the warm Verona cake. The individual serving size delivers deep chocolate richness and a softly molten interior.